Wonderful Life
by Eliya Shirwood
Summary: A young man inherits the farm of his father who abandoned him while he was a child. Despite hating his father, he accepted this new fate in order to leave the harsh reality of the urban city. He can only hope this new role will rake in rewards...
1. Prologue: His Arrival

A/N: Welcome to my edition of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. As you may expect, this is planned to carry on through the many years prepared for the main character of the series. I went ahead and kept my name instead of the infamous 'Jack,' since I love to pretend I am undergoing the 'Wonderful Life' (Because I desperately need it). As the reader, you are more than welcome to exchange the character's name with your own preference (since it is nothing more than Find and Replace option).

Anyways, allow me to apologize ahead of time in case I do not publish a chapter or more chronically. As you can predict, there must be plenty of detail to be planned out, as well as know how the game plays out thoroughly in order to keep things precise and accurate. I'll do my best to do so. Enjoy.

**Official Disclaimer:** I do not own nor claim any property of the Harvest Moon franchise. It is the sole property of Natsume. I do, however, take claim to the use of my alias and how I further interface with H.W.'s characters.

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"He wasn't happy, but he didn't seem to have a direction in life..."

He's mumuring to himself again. The thirtieth moment I'd say of him stating something abruptly; I'm forced to take note this entire ride. Though I try to express my generosity to holding a conversation, he seems to wander off into his own mind halfway through any subject. Much like now, he is taking about someone without any prior warning. Whatever, the view through the passenger window offers more interest than him.

This rigid old truck must not be moving more than ten miles per hour. Even skittering wildlife pass us every now and then on the barricading grass-fields to the sides. Not to say I am complaining, since I can enjoy the living portrait that is nature. The only influence of man around here is the flattened dirt road which we are traveling down. I cannot determine the actual distance from our destination due to the numerous curves necessary to get pass the overgrowth blocking an otherwise straight path..

I don't have a watch to accurately account how much time has gone by since we left my urban hometown, but surely an hour or two is a good guess. My attention is quick to dissipate to any random thing that catches my eyes. A bird sweeps across the windshield. Tree branches swaying without the need of wind. Probably small animals. There's a hint of manure in the cramp air in this vehicle. This truck is going so damn slow...

"One day, I went to see him. I told him about the farm you left to him."

I see, he must have been talking about me. My father passed away not even a month ago. It is sudden news, but have yet to feel phased by it. He left me and my mother a decade ago to live the life of a farmer: "To pridefully harvest in nature's finest," he claimed. Every now and then I hear those words triumphing out of his fabricated mouth, as if to torment me like it did to mother. Somehow she endured the few years after his sudden decision, but she was quick to surcease to mental instability and accompanying illness. She died when I was merely fourteen.

Having no contact with him, I was left alone to struggle through the harsh demands of the evolving civilization; to this day I am not sure if he ever knew that mother died. Survival was mostly futile at times, but I still tried. I knew I was not going to return to the damnable person that abandoned us to endorse another life. Guess I can say that I managed in the end as I am still around to expand my life's tale.

I was never able to maintain property as most funds were directed to feeding myself and obtaining essentials to urban life, such as affording fees. Perhaps out of sheer desperation for his contact, I kept a hold on a mailbox though I rarely checked it. Just two months ago I received a piece of mail from Mr. Takakura, an old friend of my father from what I had to deduce, to inform me of my father's sudden demise. It seemed to be a natural cause from his description, and proposed that I meet up with him to hear out my father's will. I was surprise to even learn that he would have a will, much less remember me to provide it to.

His will was simple: upon his death, all of his assets on the farm in an unknown village of Forget-Me-No Valley be placed under my possession. I'll admit that I was on the verge of tears(if I wasn't already crying); it would be the first time in seven years that I'd have rights to owning property, much less be in the presence of "acquaintances." However, I know that I cannot forgive that bastard despite this inheritance.

"Your son didn't seem to know much about farming, but he was willing to give it a try. So I brought him to Forget-Me-Not Valley."

Naturally I didn't know much, if anything, about farming; I lived in the town for most of my life, or at least the amount I can remember. Mother would reminiscence at night about father having ambitions to being a farmer, and that I wanted to join him on the farm. I still think that was ludicrous of myself to "want" such, if it meant leaving mother in the cruel, uncaring hands of civilization. Before father set off, our family had always been settled in the city life; it was only great-grandfather's generation that once inhabited the rural land. There must have been some kind of "destiny," if it can be called such, that forced father's hand to abandon all he had to become a farmer. I don't remember hearing if our family once owned land in this Forget-Me-Not Valley nor what was so special about this tiny village nearly four hours away from the city.

The truck slows down upon reaching a cul-de-sac of sorts just short of two parallel mountains ahead. I can see a more narrow path in between the two obstacles; it must be the only road leading to the valley from the looks around here. I mean damn, those mountains are large in longitude AND latitude. "We'll need to walk from here; truck won't take us any further," Takakura mumbles as he open and closed his door behind him to proceed climbing down the slope and unto the route.

"Too bad," I mumble as well as I follow after him. I'd rather him try to get that truck through than to walk. That's not to say I don't want to walk; I'm a rather active type of fellow, but he seems to want to half-ass things since we left the city. He didn't want to take bus that could've saved us thirty minutes, he insisted that taking the curvy path was shorter than the other straight path that could have easily have taken us here(hell, I SEE that same damn path behind us that diverges from the taken), and now wants to the village that is supposedly ahead. He has officially earned a spot on my "most annoying" list if I ever make one.

I am glad that it is not a long path; I can see the opposite clearing just twenty meters away. There is plenty of shading on this route. Trees implanting on the two mountains hang overhead and cover up the path below. The wind blows through the created funnel in an eerie manner, echoing a horrifying melody as if ghouls instantly surround you while they moan in harmony. It's a good thing that it is midday right now. This would be a scary place during the night. I'll have to take a note not to travel through here during that time, if at all. I probably won't be leaving my new farm for any time soon... or at all during my life.

"Your dad and I shared the same dream, you know. I bet he never told you... But I remember it all." My mind is taken away from his sudden statement at the gorgeous scenery before me. We are situated at a higher elevation than the village below so I can see the great majority. The sun graces the valley as it reflects off the several roofs of buildings and the luscious meadows surrounding stoned paths. Bright green grass enchants this area in every spot, some portions unoccupied by the residents are taller than most, adding more beauty to the scenery as it flows with the gentle wind passing through. I can see a few fields dedicated to harvest scattered in a few locations, mostly in this farm in-front of us.

Takakura proceeds forward with arms behind his back, promenading through the farm on the path bisecting it from house and field. I will have to assume this is not father's farm as I follow after him, taking note of its stature as I pass by. I can see two residents bent down in a patch, dedicating their attention to the resources growing in the field. It is one of each gender as much as I can determine, judging from the lengths of the hair from my location. I do not have much more time to take in the sight as Takakura seemed to increase his pace as he continued. Seriously, I can't predict what this guy will do.

A few meters later we cross a wooden bridge that connects the branched farm behind us to the village ahead. The bridge must be rather sturdy as I walk across it and observe how large in bulk it is. I mean surely it is, I wouldn't want it collapsing in short time if I'm living here. We pass by elderly man who is standing on the edge in the middle of the bridge, dedicating his attention to the stream below. I felt like I should try to warn him not to stand so close to the edge, but if it didn't merit any concern to Takakura who is also a resident here, then it must be... safe. I don't think I'd be able to get his attention anyways; not even our combined loud steps on the bridge seem to phase the man. His line of sight seems to be focused on the winding stream leading back behind a line of trees. I can hear water splashing in the distance to both of my sides. To the left is the entrance to the vast sea, its end being the sky's horizon, and to the right is that winding stream. I assume there must be a waterfall that trails to the mountain back there. I sure would love to see it after I get adjusted to here.

Every few yards there are street lamps posted along the side of the roads. I have to say I'm baffled; I was not expecting this place to have a form of electricity to thrive on. At least, that's what I've known most lamps to run off of. I do not see a candle or flick inside of its carrier as the old generations relied on to have light during the night. It is not too strange that guess that one of these buildings host a generator to provide the source.

Takakura takes a right at the upcoming fork in the road. His direction leads uphill into an opening between two groups of trees. That must be the entrance to the farm, though I see no indication otherwise(it'd be nice to see a sign around here). The path not taken leads straight into the heart of the valley where a few buildings populate. There are five buildings that I can see while traveling behind Takakura, and three oddly structured sculptures in the distance behind those. The closest of the three had to be a sort of laboratory(though why one would be out here in rural sight is beyond me) judging from the equipment scurried around it. To its left seems to be a tepee- no, a poorly up-heaved tepee that leans against a tree nearby. To the farthest right is a large metal rock that glistens from the sun above. Well, maybe it's a trailer, but I don't recall those being so bulky and shard on edges.

Without taking these distant additions into account, five buildings that house a minimum of three residents, I deduce this town has to have a minimal of fifteen citizen. It will be a quiet experience if that is what I'll have to expect from this new life, but it sure does beat the over-population of the city. Maybe there will be some ample maidens close to my own age to get "familiar" with. Oh, what a distracting mind I have; I don't even realize I bump into Takakura who halts abruptly during the hike up. "Ow. Why did you sto-"

"This land you see here... Your dad and I found it together." My first impression: it is amazing. It is an exact depiction of a typical farm found in magazines, except it is mine to have. There are two entrances from the looks of the scene: one from where we entered, and the other a few meters north through an opening between another group of trees. The entire property is encapsulated in a shell of forest, the western entrances trimmed of the massive amount for easier access and sight.

There are a few buildings standing in the southern region: the closest is a real cabin, the type made of sturdy wood and not some replicate material like that one modeled in malls. It's aged from the looks of it, indicating to some extent how long this place has been inhabited. Further down is a taller stone building with a large slanted roof. This seems to be the centerpiece of the farm, probably where the food and resources are stockaded. To its front is the barn from its obvious large space. It has an appendix on both sides: the right offers the large cylinder solo where fodder is kept(a little something I picked up from reading Farmer's Digest) and the left is occupied by a sort of crumpled shack built from older wood. I'd place my bets that tools are placed in there. In front of the barn is a large area(probably twenty meters in diameter from my perspective) dedicated to luscious tall grass for livestock, enclosed by a double-laced fence. It is indeed a beautiful combo, and I'd guess there is a large barn-door that leads the livestock to and from the barn to the field on the other side. My attention is returned back to the centerpiece, and to its right is what really adored to my respect: a true house. It is a combination of wood and stone that holds this beaut up, complete with chimney, roof, and a few windows(I hope). It is by far much larger than the cabin closer to the entrance, and I'm claiming my rights to it right here. I'll yell it if I have to.

"It has old, but strong buildings and some fallow fields." Takakura coughed while scratching his nose, flexing his back as if proud of this accomplishment of a farm.

"It sure is something, alright." I had to admit out loud, even if it only feed on to his pride. I can only imagine the daily routines he and my father had to do to maintain this facility. It will no doubt take time to adjust to whatever methods is required to harness the quality of this farm, but I know I will have to do it. This is mine now. This is my pride that will be nurtured from now on, Takakura.

"So... I think it's your destiny to take on this farm. I'll be here to help you out." He provides me a gentle smile as if he is my own father, proud to hand over his belongings to his son. It is not the kind of scenes that I would ever think to come across. I cannot help turning my sight aside to avoid seeing him. "...Don't call it destiny. If it was destiny, father would have taken us with him when he created this farm. I can only see this as penitents for his actions." I had to fight back a tear while speaking my mind. Takakura is not helping the situation by placing his hand on my shoulder, then scuffing my hair. This bastard is really annoying.

"Why don't I show you around?" He is quick to dismiss the sudden conflict as he walks towards the barn. I had to wipe at my eyes before I follow after him.

"This is the barn." Takakura points at the obvious building. "This is where the cattle, sheep, and horse live. I'll show you the inside later." ...I'll have a horse? I wasn't expecting that kind of animal here, nor would I know what to do with it. Maybe I can hoard it for a horse race gamble? Oh man, that'd rack in the money if I get it high and mighty.

"Next door is the tool shed." He declares as he walks further to the rankled annex. "There is a tool shelf, a shelf and a few other things. That's where you store your tools." Urgh, he's being too obvious! OF COURSE the tools go in a tool shed, old man! Why do you need to thoroughly inform me of such?

"I put some tools you'll need on the tools shelf. I also put some seeds on the shelf. They're there to use." I am at least graceful for him to provide that information. It will get me started during the first few days at the farm.

Takakura turns back around to the centerpiece of the farm and puts his thumb towards it. "That is the food storage. Put dairy products in here to ship. I'll take it to the market in town on the following day. If there's something you want me to buy, just write it in the ledger." As expected, the headquarters of the farm operation. All of the products I yield will be stored there and shipped throughout the world(well, neighboring towns); what an ambition! I have to admit I'm curious as to what he meant by "if there's something you want me to buy." Looking at this old buildings gets me the desire to update them with more... proper material. Oh steel, you will do nicely around here.

He continues to walk towards the house. I expect him to say something about it, but he disregards it and walks to the right. Damn right Takakura; don't go saying that is YOUR house. I continue to follow him, noticing a few patches of dirt fields plotted in a few sections of the farm; two are close-by the house and a far distant one to the north edge. The last one stretching the entire longitude of the farm, from forest to forest. I bet that will be where most of my crops will be grown. These other two don't seem to offer much room, and the dirt seems... spiffy. My attention arrives at a white and red shack close by.

"This is the chicken coop, where the chickens live." Poultry? Heck yeah, I'll have plenty of supply for breakfast. Going to love having eggs- huh? Further to the right of the coop is a much older shack in much worse condition than the tool shed. The door is barred by two planks of wood and pieces of foundation are begging to tear off on their own accord. "Say, Takakura, what is that building over-" He has already left me behind to walk towards the house. Why would he not talk about this shack? It's obviously abandoned, but it must have some significance if it is still here and not destroyed.

As soon as I turn my attention back to the house, I hear several approaching barks behind me. Dogs? In this remote valley? Then again, its a farm so father probably had a few domestic pets as he lived here. I'd find it hard to live alone with Takakura as a primary resident. At my feet are two dogs; each are of the same height, but are of two different breeds. The left has floppy ears and the right has pointed ears. Both of them have bandanas wrapped around their necks, an indication that they have owners. I hear Takakura groan as he closes in.

"These dogs must be strays..." ...What? Strays that own their own bandannas? Next he'll inform me they are bandits.

"Looks like these guys like you. Do you wanna keep one? Go ahead and pick one." I'd rather keep both, but it is probably for the best I keep only one at the moment. I'm sure the other will gain a proper home if left with Takakura... Oh, I see what he's doing. He WANTS one of them. What a sneaky bastard. I pick up the dog with floppy hears and scruff his head. "I'll give you the name Sebastian, boy. I hope you'll be a damn good watchdog for me." He gives me an acknowledging bark as he huffs against my scratching.

"Alright then," Takakura bends down and picks up the other. "I'll find an owner for the other one. I'll build a doghouse for the little guy later."

...So he wasn't going to keep the other? Ah crap, now I'm going to feel bad for that dog. At least he said he'll find him an owner; Takakura doesn't seem to be the type to go against his word. I place Sebastian back down on the ground, and he quickly runs off into the grass field, lost to the sight. It seems he's going to enjoy his stay here at the farm. He better be a damn good watchdog...

"Finally, this is your house." He doesn't hesitate as he points to the luxurious house. YES. IN YOUR DAMN FACE, TAKAKURA. MY HOUSE. I manage to suppress my greedy demeanor as I smile and nod to his statement. I cannot wait to get settled down into that beautiful house. I must be drooling at the mouth as I imagine the upcoming delight of living in a home.

"I fixed it up a little, but it's still not much."

"Oh no, it is definitely quite a lot. I appreciate the fact that you are giving me this house. You are more than welcome to... occupy..." Urgh. "It once in awhile. Actually, where do you live on this farm?" That house better not have a twin bed, or worse... a single bed that we must share.

"...Oh, my house is... You can see my house on the other side of the food storage." He confirms that the cabin at the edge of the farm is his quarters. Oh glorious God, thank you for providing him his own shelter!

"That's all you need for now. Once you get going, you can build up the place." Oh yes, I do plan on adding onto this place. First thing to go up is a bad-ass sign in the front that advertises my farm of... Of... Wait, what is the name of this farm anyways? I don't recall Takakura mentioning that part. "Hey Takakura, what is the name of this-"

"Oh yeah, come here for a second..." He is quick to abruptly leave me behind and enter the barn. Why is he so inclined to ignore my statements? He must be more senile than I once thought. Slightly depressed at the occuring thoughts of having to support him on this farm, I follow after him after shifting past the barn door. The inside is so spacious. There are many pins to separate livestock, a watering container to house water(I noticed a well beside my house, now that I think about it), a vender that connects to the solo outside to get access to fodder, a disposal for getting rid of... unwanted things, a cow to keep the other live... stock... Wait, a cow? I HAVE A COW? I run over to Takakura who is petting her.

"I bought you a cow to get you started. Put the feed in here." He points over at the pin's kettle after pointing towards the solo vender.

"Wow, you didn't have to do this for me, Takakura! I'm sure I could eventually afford one on my own. I mean, she must have costed at least-"

"$4,000." He interjects quickly.

"..."

"Yep." Takakura seems to be talking to the cow as he continues to pet her.

"Like I said, thank you for bringing her to the farm! She is a great asset to the growing family around here!" Oh man, I should have known that the cow would range somewhere in that price. Now I'm starting to wonder what everything else costs around here. I only managed to save $3,000 from life in the city.

"Yep, and she needs a name."

"I bet she does. How about Ol' Betsy? Heh, a good little cliche, and most befitting." I jest as I scratch on her brow, meriting a moo from her.

"Alright, Ol' Betsy it'll be."

"Yeah... Wait, what? NO, not Ol' Betsy! Just Betsy! I was just playing off an old jok-"

:Yep, Ol' Betsy suits her nicely. Hm-mm." Takakura chuckles as he slaps at her belly. Oh, what's the use? Anything I say just goes close to his mouth only to be trampled by his own words. I'd have a more profitable argument with a mule than Takakura, and I'd probably get a better response from it.

"It's already been about 10 days since she gave birth, so you can milk her. She's healthy, so twice a day is good." Whoa, milking? I hadn't given that a thought. Rather, I didn't even expect having to do such. It would be the only way of getting milk though, so I'll have to get adjusted to it. Now how would I do such? My gaze travels down her side and to her pink utters. There...

"That's about it.. Oh yeah! You have to think of a name for this farm... what'll it be?" Oh, NOW we get to the root of all problems. I swear to- never mind, it is best to just get through this day and get him out of my hair for awhile. I haven't put much thought into the development of a name. I was kind of expecting the farm to already have a name. I suppose it'd have to undergo another since it will be under my control from now on. I don't have any major attractions to objects or people to leech the name from. I wouldn't dare name the farm after my father, nor do I want to tarnish mother's name by his blasphemous desire.

"I don't know of a name, to tell you the truth." I rub against my temple at the sudden frustration building in my mind. "It's quite a wonder that I'd happen onto this gift from that bastard of a father. A wonder that I survived long enough to be blessed with a better chance at life. A wonder that I'd be able to live that life with cheer as mother would surely want." The recurring concept hit me like a brick. Damn, it had quite a wallop. "Well, perhaps it is just best to call it as is: a wonder. Yeah, why not. I'll go with Wonder Farm!" It'll do for now. I can always change my mind later on anyways.

"Wonder Farm, eh? Sounds good enough to me. Oh yeah, I should probably tell you about the people who live around here... I'm not so sociable, but me let introduce you to them." Takakura turns his back to me as he heads towards the exit. I bet I'll suffer from an anyorism from this guy soon, I know it. Despite the obvious flaw in his persona, he had a point. I need to learn of the residents around here in order to get adjusted. Heh, maybe I'll see some maidens like I had previously thought. Oh man, please let there be some!

We turn down the path not taken yet, the one heading towards the villa. The closest building on the left is surprisingly tall, hosting three floors. There is no way that this is merely a house! Standing in front is a family of three: the father, the mother, and... the distant offspring? Adopted child? I have no idea, he doesn't look like either of the parents from my observation.

The father is a large tub-of-lard, literally. His Caribbean style shirt hardly covers his chest as his stomach protrudes outwards, there isn't even a need for the tiny jacket acting like his personal bra. A hat(a beany, really) sits on his black hair, eyes seem to squint too often, and two buck teeth shoot out of his mouth in a curious manner. Definitely a weirdo. His better-half(in all terms of the word) stands beside him in a loving manner, keeping him company in some chatter. She is dressed accordingly in an orange shirt and topical skirt while sporting an apron. Her hair is the same color as the husband, but her eyes are much more open showering its audience with a ruby color. The only problem I'd have is her pudgy figure. Then there's the boy. He seems to be of the adolescent age, evident by his blond mop-top hair and his snazzy attire. White pants, light blue shirt, alabester jacket, and a tooth necklace situated around his neck. He seems like he is born for the city life, compared to me. Well, that is VERY obvious at this point if comparing our attire. I did not have any current wear so I had to use some clothing that Takakura happened to have in his truck. Overalls, beige shirt, brown dirty shoes, and brown gloves(the only thing I've liked about the suit; frickin' awesome). I seem more at home here than the boy.

Takakura approaches the family while wrapping his arm around my shoulders, trying to balance the attention between us... he really isn't the social type, I see. "There's Tim, who runs the Inner Inn, his wife Ruby and their son, Rock. ...(How should I introduce you?)" I can't believe Takakura whispers that last portion in my ear. Does he have a problem with my name?

"(What? Tell me you've just forgotten what it was! I have a pretty damn good name, you know!)" I raise my hand over our faces so that the others do not see our dispute. I might even smack him a good one for this crap.

"(...So what is it?)" URGH. THERE'S THAT ANYORISM. I'M SO PISSED.

"(IT'S ELIYA! FUCK, I TOLD YOU WHAT MY NAME WAS WHEN WE MET!)"

"(Eliya? Got it.)" He retreats from our hustle as he shuffles my shoulders about. "This here's Eliya. He'll be the new owner of the farm: Wonder Farm." ...That's it, I'm done with him. He is the pinnacle of people that I hat-

"AH, SO YOU'RE THAT NEW OWNER? NICE TA MEETCHA. I'M TIM OF THIS HERE HOTEL. IF YOU EVER FEEL LONELY, DON'T HESISTATE TO DROP BY FOR THE NIGHT." Correction, Tim has that title now. Before I could even finish my mental note, Tim rushes at me with arms flailing, grabbing hold of my shoulders and shaking me about. To make matters worse, certain syllables came with an unwanted gift of his saliva that squirts through the opening in his buck teeth. Oh man, I will not be able to handle this guy.

"Hello Eliya, I hope you enjoy your new life here in Forget-Me-Not-Valley," Ruby offers in an apologetic voice as she pulls Tim away, cuddling her embrace around his arm. With such an open affection for that guy, I might be able to forgive him. Momentarily. Rock walks up in front of me, wielding the widest grin I've ever seen in my life.

"Yo bro! Welcome to the hip peep 'round here! I'll keep ya in touch with the most happenin' things that go 'round here, dawg!"

...Uh, what? "Well... thanks. Be sure to... um, keep me on the down-low." I won't be able to keep up with his slang mettle, nor do I wish to. I'll try to avoid him for the most part of leaving here. Come to think of it, I'm afraid to see the other residents of this valley just from meeting the these guys.

"And, there's a girl staying here named Nami, too. You might meet her... soon enough." Takakura shrugs his shoulders as he stares at the third floor as if indicating she resides up there. To tell the truth, I probably don't want to meet her if she's like this incredulous family.

We leave the presence of the hotel to travel slightly more down the road to the next house to the right. It is a humble abode, something I'd expect retirees to settle in. As if on cue, an elderly couple wobbles out in unison to greet us. Age must be their greatest utility for them if they were anticipating us to arrive at their door. I notice the man was the fellow that stood at the bridge while we arrived. I want to say he looks alright, but he seems to have a permanent frown upon his face. His cold stare intimidates me as soon as our eyes connect. I don't know what I've done to earn that glare, but I'd sincerely apologize for it if he'd stop. To his side must be his wife, possessed by a cheerful demeanor as she kept a lean on her husband. It is the perfect "opposites attract" scenario for these two, I presume on observation.

"This is Galen and his wife Nina." Takakura repeats his manner of greetings, wrapping his arm around me. I can't say I am not expecting him to ask for my name.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, deary." Nina whimpers as she walks up to me and pats my hand. She is taking the typical approach of an elderly by getting physical with her guest. It is somewhat bothersome for me, especially as Galen give me an even colder stare. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

"...Do you like to fish, boy?" Galen mumbles as he continues to stare. The answer is obvious in this case... I hope.

"...Y-y-yes?" I left the end of the statement in a turnabout, hoping to change it to a quick "no" in case of the worse.

"...Good, good. Stop by sometime and we can discuss it." Galen finally gives me a smile as he retreats back into the house, Nina following shortly. Note to self: studying fishing.

Further down past a vacant lot is another house. This one is well-developed: two stories with articles of banners and decorations dripping down its walls. Yet again, as if the cue is given, a family comes jogging out of the house in unison. This one seems more of a very structured family. A father wearing blue athletic attire with accompanying headband, a mother suited in business casual (unusually pink, might I add) wearing an appropriate pair of glasses, and a son who wears similar attire of his father expect in red. By the time they had left the house, the males begin stretching as the mother attends to her makeup. A very structured family, indeed.

"This is Chris. This is Wally and his son Hugh." Takakura mentions as he approach.

"Hello there! Nice to meet you, but I must leave. Got to get the work, ya know~?" The wife, Chris, leaves as soon as we get close, heading towards the passage between the mountains.

"Hey hey hey! Nice to see ya around young man! You know what's good for the body? Exercise, of course! You must constantly push your body to the limits in order to get stronger and healthier, right Hugh my boy?"

"That's right, pop!"

"Hech YEAH that's right! Speaking of which, it's time for our regular job around the valley! Be sure to get up nice and early in the mornings to join us to get in the best shape shape SHAPE!"

"..." I do not even have a chance to interject as the two hyper beings travel quickly down the road, traveling slightly past the entrance to Wonder Farm and down the path leading into the forest. I do not see myself conversing/interacting with them anytime soon...

Adjacent to Wally's estate is a building that reads Blue Bar- OH HELL YEAH. A BAR. IN THE VALLEY. IN MY FRICKIN' VALLEY. I'll be a regular here, for sure... when appropriate, I remind myself. Takukara knocks on its door, calling out to the owner. Momentarily, two people come walking out and already shaking my hand. The gentleman is quite the manly man, for a lack of better words. He wears some neato brown pants, a fashioned belt with a large buckle of a "G," a unbuttoned shirt that gives rise to his overgrown chest hairs, and he brands a dominant moustache and swirled up hair with a NICE mullet. He must have been a child of the disco years.

But enough about him... Oh, the waitress of the place. What a babe. A seduce crimson dress that clings close to her skin, revealing her well-toned figure. A baby blue jacket that clings even tighter to her shoulders, prompting her bosom to lift even higher than what the dress seems to have them. Blond hair and blue eyes with a red shade of lips. She definitely came from the city. She has a very friendly and clingy attitude about her, as I personally find out as I shake her hand and she wraps around my arm. I think I'll start drinking tonight.

"Griffin runs the Blue Bar, where Muffy works." Takakura wrangles me free from Muffy's grasp, despite the harsh stares I give him. You bastard. Always getting in the way!

"Be sure to stop by every once in awhile for a damn good drink, ya hear?" Griffin laughs as he swipes back his hair. So cool.

"AND be sure to drop by to see me, handsome~." Muffy giggles as she waves at me. DAMN SEXY.

"You know it! I happen to have quite a good tolerance to alcohol, so expect to see me quite ofte-!" I do not have a chance to finish my boast as Takakura hussles me back to the road towards a steep slope. "How about we go see the rest of the people." Not now, Takakura! Have some sense for once and let me go!

I am forced to abandon my desire to get "accustomed" to the bar as Takakura keeps an arm around me as he head up the hill. The road is thoroughly aligned with street lamps and elegant gates as we get closer to the mansion before us. I cannot even believe that such wealth exists around here! I mean, this mansion is HUUUUGE! A monstrous waterfall graces the front of the mansion, statues of fish adding on to its decore. Two green hedges of perfect cut borders the mansion's entrance, and green grass of perfect level graces its boundaries leading up to the encasing gates. We walk in through the large, metal, embedded doors and its glory is even further prided. A catwalk hangs overhead that lead onto the second, third, fourth, AND fifth floors, and each floor can be expected to be graced by decorations beyond normal circumstances. A large ebony piano is placed to the right along with a young lass playing elegantly on it, and to the left are sofas and tables with floras of many varieties. An elder lady, probably even older than either Galen or Nina, strides in from a room centered between two stairs leading to the second floor. She is accompanied by a butler, a real butler, of a similar age. The young lady stops playing and joins with the elder as they approach us. She must be in the adolescent age as Rock is.

"Romana lives in the Vila with her granddaughter Lumina. And this is their butler, Sebastian." Takakura does not seem to offer a more formal greetings to the madame as her demeanor seems to demand. I could not help but offer a bow as I presented my name.

"Oh ho! Eliya, young lad, it is nice to meet you! I hope you do come by anytime during the day to have tea with us!" Romana proudly proclaims as she covers her mouth with the back of her hand, stifling a hearty laugh that would follow.

"Master Eliya, I welcome you to our humble mansion. Please make yourself at home any time you wish to visit." I feel much admiration towards Sebastian(heh, my dog) who shows his mastery of elegance and obedience.

"Hello, Eliya. Is it funny that your name is very similar to mine? Perhaps you may be a long lost cousin~. Come by anytime and I'll play for you~." Lumina is a sweet young lady with lenient manners. She has more of a childish expression than that is redefined by wealth. I'm sure to provide her company once in a while to help keep her well-adjusted, and not become some snob. I mean, it might be bound to happen; might as well prevent it. Maybe she can become a little like Muffy... Oh ho ho, Muffy~.

After a quick conversation and a drink of tea, we find ourselves walking down the road past the houses we visited(regrettably to much extent). I was sure to offer a wave to Muffy as she seems to be doing something... important outside with a beer mug, exchanged some strange hand sign with Rocky, and quickened my pace as Tim tried to give me a hug. Urgh.

We cross the bridge towards the farm we passed on the entrance to the valley. I assume this will be my competitor in produce in this area, so I try to keep myself level-headed prior in case the owner is the snobby type. I would be in for one heck of a surprise, for the owner comes running out from the field waving her gargantuan arm towards us. She is a very large woman; a bulky type who is meant for work. Orange hair braided behind her back, yellow shirt that stretched with her unusual muscle mass, blue pants that were as dirty as the dirt she came from, and an apron much too tight for her. I don't know how I survive the bear hug she entangles me in, but I wish she would have given it to Takakura instead.

"Vesta runs a farm like yours." Takakura smacks her shoulder blade with a brotherly tap as she bellows a tremendous laugh.

"That's right, buddy boy! Feel free to get any advice from me if you ever run inta trouble!" Where can I go to get the steroids you are obviously using? There is NO WAY that is all natural. I'm afraid to bluntly asking it, even mention it, as she can easily kill me with the flick of a bulk finger.

"Over there is Vesta's younger brother, Marlin." I turn my attention to the field Takakura points towards to see the young man from before. He only gives me a slight look before returning to his work. His appearance is that of the "greaser;" white collar shirt, jean pants, greased up black hair that swallows back to his neck, and a glare that begs for a fight. It would be hard getting along with this fellow.

"Celia helps out with the farm work here. This is where you can buy seeds." I do not catch the second portion of his statement as I am struck by awe at the young woman that comes to greet us. She had been working alongside Marlin when I arrived, and I wish I was able to greet her immediately. She has a natural beauty to her, unlike Muffy who has to rely on artificial material to get her sex appeal. Her skin is much pale despite the obvious amount of time she spends out in the sun. Her clothing is that of a maiden; a grass green dress with a dark green skirt beneath a beige apron graces her being, complemented by brown work shoes and white cross-hatched handkerchief that covers the top of her long brown hair. I am lost in the brown pools of her eyes as she gets closer to me. My attraction to her grows even stronger as she seems to blush upon coming closer to me.

The two of us are at a loss of words as we gaze into each others eyes, Celia being the first to diverge her sight to left slightly. "H-How do you do? My name is Celia, I work as Vesta's assistant on this farm." She reconnects her attention to me as she smiles gently. "I hope you enjoy living here!"

"...I-I'm Eliya... I'm the new owner of the farm just beyond here that I'm s-sure you know of. I mean, since you live here. What I mean to say is, I look forward to help tending to your field- I mean, helping fertilize your crop- I MEAN, blaaaaaaah." I quickly stumble on my words, earning a giggle from her. She is so gorgeous like this. "...I look forward to living here. Please offer me your guidance whenever possible." I return my smile and gain her blush. This is going to be a wonderful life.

After having yet another awkward moment trying to offer my leave, Takakura drags me away from the scene to head back to the bridge. He is both my bother and my savior now. "People live over there, too." He points to those sculptures past the residential buildings. "There are twins who make fireworks, an artist, a guy who does experiments all day, and someone who plays guitar. They're all weird, I say..."

"...Yeah, I was going to assume they might be slightly on the weird side." Even if you are one of them, Takakura, Hell, this whole valley is slightly on the weird side of the scale... Except for a few grand people.

Takakura points out to the east of the stream heading towards the apparent waterfall. "In that tent down there is a scholar who lives with his assistant. They're digging something up." ...Scholars? There is such a large variety of people in this little town. It is a very scary thought to know I'll have to adjust to them all.

"Hmm.. that's about it." His glance goes towards the forest beyond the farm. I notice that there is a path that leads into it, presumably the same path that Wally and Hugh take during the "routines." I'll be sure to travel through there in due time and have an exploration of sorts.

"You must be tired by now... take it easy and rest. Just ask me if there's anything you don't understand. See ya." As quick as he says it, he waves his farewell as he walks back towards the passage. Thank. God.

I rather worry if he'll be alright though; it is already close to sundown and that passage will be entirely pitch dark by the time he crosses through it. Then he has to drive that truck(down the curved road, of course knowing him)... Oh well, his choice. I'm starting to feel the fatigue hit me as I head towards my farm's entrance. Not even simple stretches of arms behind my neck and kicking of legs kept it away. I pass by Takakura's cabin with joy knowing it would not be my resting spot, and pass the barn and storage shed. I should check up on Betsy to see if she's doing alright, but I know she has plenty of food since Takakura filled it before I arrived. A glorious smile creeps up my face as I gain closer ground to my new home. Home~. However, that would quickly dissipate into a frown or grunt as if by magic, three pint-size figures appear in front of me.

I don't know how to begin describing them. Each one wears a bright color(red, yellow, blue) in similar attire of hat and shirt(I don't want to know why I cannot see any pants). Each have a slight variation of a puzzled look as they glare up at me.

"Huh? A Harvest Sprite I've never seen before."

"..A Harvest Sprite? What is-"

"Who is it? Who is it?"

"My name is-"

"Who is it? There aren't any other Harvest Spirtes besides us."

"No, I'm not a Harvest Sprite, and my name is E-"

"Who is it? Who is it?"

'DAMN IT, MY NAME IS EL-"

"Now that I think of it... So, who is it?"

"I'TS ELIYA, YOU BLABBERMOUTHS!"

"Eliya?"

"Yes, Eliya-"

"That's it! The Harvest Sprite named Eliya."

"What? No! I'm huma-"

"Ohhh, I see~."

"No you don't! I'm telling you that I'm hu-"

"I'm Nak. Nice to meetcha."

"My name is Nic. Pleased to meetcha~."

"I'm Flak. Pleased to meetcha~."

"LISTEN TO ME, YOU MIDGETS. I'M HUMAN NOT A DAMN HARVE-"

Before I could finish my correction, they have all vanished from site in a dash of cloud like they appeared. I'm so aggravated. My list of 'Most Hated' will be long and precise whenever I make one, I swear it. But enough of that, I convince myself as I drag my worn-out body inside the house. It is such a gander inside that house. A large single bed to the upper left, a turn-table by its side, a television set against the west wall, a shelf with many books placed on its levels, a makeshift kitchen with the bare minimum(meaning a sink), and table in the center of the room ontop of a decor rug. I would complain about not seeing a bathroom or toilet, but I've had enough for today. Like Takakura said, I can buy that later on during my life here.

I find myself collapsing on the bed by the time that I had registered the opening of the door. I don't even mind that the door is still open. My eyes once again scan the surrounding room before slowely drifting off to unconsciousness.

_"As you always wished, he started working on the farm with me." _I swear I could still hear Takakura's voice in the back of my mind as I drift off to sleep...


	2. Chapter 1: His First Day

How strange. Everything is so... silent. No obnoxious car noises, random chatter from the occasional passing stranger, the clatter of cans knocking against the ground by the wind.

Everything is so damn quiet. Am I drowning out the noises? Granted I know I can be quite the heavy sleeper, but to not hear anything aside from some birds chirping in the distance is so bizar-

My eyes shoot open faster than a flicker of light and I spring up from the bed I've been sleeping on. "A bed," I astoundingly remark aloud as I feel the sheets below me.

When the hell did I get a bed? Then it hit me.

"That's right, I own this farm now." I laugh a bit as I fall back onto the bed and take in the new atmosphere. Of course, I live in this glorious valley, far away from the city. No more urban life. The dredge of poverty is a thing of the past once now that I have this new future in my grasp. I almost feel like thanking that bastard father of mine. Heh, as if.

Judging from the lack of light seeping through the window behind me, I assume that it is not even close to dawn. I remember how hard it was to tell what time it was back in the city: street lights always on, distorting the truth of the natural world, time, and order. However, in this peaceful valley, nature will be the taskmaster of the events to come. Wonderful.

I take a moment to look around this room despite the darkness consuming it. It is very spacious though others may disagree. A nightstand rests beside this bed to my right, an old television to its side. A bit of a distance more to the right is what appears to be the kitchen: a hand from a pan leaning off the side, a faucet leaning over the sink.

Another window at the opposite wall greets me to the farm outside, and a cabinet beneath it probably filled with some essential foods and utilities (I hope). Farther down in the farthest corner is a shelf filled with many, many books.

Books? Why would my father have books? I'd imagine such a desperate down-to-earth hillbilly would be the last person to own a book. Although I want to continue resting on this luscious bed for a bit longer, I force myself up to see what kind of books my father had owned.

I notice as I get closer that none of the ends have titles. Even after taking a few out, I am greeted with a nameless entry bound by flimsy material. What the hell has my father been using these for? These are obviously not stories, or at least not great stories with merely twenty to fifty pages per book.

But then, I realize the purpose of these books upon opening them. Inside were handwritten notes regarding the nature of the farm: animals and how to care for them, crops and the manner at which to nurture them, business and the standards to better prosper from the earnings.

"I can't believe it; he was really devoted to this place." Why am I so shocked? Surely he would take note on the little things as he built this place. However, to this extent? Frankly, I wouldn't expect it from him.

I didn't realize that I became absorbed in reading his material, differentiating the ability to read in the dark and the new light leaking into the room. The subjects he wrote about ranged from the types of livestock he's owned to the specific names and procedures for every crop he's harvested. He even diagnosed a bit of his marketing prowess during the harvesting seasons.

I almost want to praise my father for this amount of achievemen- "Whoa, now that's going too far," I scold myself as I put back the last book on the shelf. I turn around and adjust my sight to the bright light.

"About time that dawn got around," I jest as I walk over to the television, intrigued with what channels I have available out here in the literal wilderness. Like a child, I plop down in front of it and eagerly search for the power source. Right around this time should be some delightful shows as well as the politics of the outside world.

...Heh, I made a funny. Like hell I'd care for politics out here. I switch the power button on and am quickly entertained by static. Yay. The dial on the right-hand side has four notches on each cardinal direction. I can only guess this means there are four channels to turn to.

"Well, better than none I suppose." I flip the dial towards the top, and the channel turn to the news. Most importantly, weather. I didn't pay it any attention as I turn the dial again to the right. Interviews and inquiries. Turn the dial another click downwards. Stories and drama. A turn to the last channel. Horoscope.

"...Damn it, nothing good." I immediately turn the television off. I won't be having any fun from this box anytime soon. Maybe when the evening comes around there will be some prime time shows going on. That was the only thing I miss about the city...

As I stand back up and stretch a bit, I notice a music player sitting at the end of the bed. Granted, this isn't some new age jukebox; merely an old record player with a record still sitting on the wheel and the needle relaxing on the edge. Now this is a nice surprise: something to listen to while I'm hard at work on the farm. Things just got better.

I pick up the record and blow at the dust gathered on the surface. Obviously, this hasn't been used in awhile; hopefully it stills works. The record's title simply says: 'Breeze.' Nice ring to it, especially during this welcoming Spring.

I flip the switch to turn on the record player, place the record back on the revolving wheel, and place the needle on the appropriate spot. Not even seconds later, a silent harmony fills the air in a soft tone.

...I can barely hear this crap. Probably need to turn the volume up. A few adjustments to the volume knob brings the relaxing melody in full swing throughout the room and soothes my ears despite how loud it is.

Wow. Is there words to describe the sounds groping my ears? So smoothing, almost like characterizing the feel of the warm chill of the Spring air. This is going to be a great day after hearing this stuff all day.

I decide not to waste anymore of the day inside the house. I hastily make for the door, and step outside while gently closing the door behind me. Despite the door being closed, I can vividly hear the music still ongoing out here. Yes.

Seeing the farm once again brings excitement to my heart. I remember yet again: this is ALL mine. However, where do I start? Looking to the left at the various fields, I decide that planting some seeds should be my first priority. Got to get my yield going quick if I'm going to prosper here.

Obviously, I don't have the necessary tools on me, so I need to go to the tool-shed. Takakura did say that most of the tools are available in there, right? Definitely wasn't listening to him yesterday, nor do I plan to anymore, Bastard. Stepping inside I see a few of those tools at disposal: a water can, a sickle, and a hoe. The water can is easy to carry around, but damn are these other two heavy!

The sickle and hoe don't look like much at appearance, but then I realize where all the power comes from once I pick them up. How the hell did those old geezers carry around these things all day? No, I won't let that discourage me at this point; I'm just starting off after all!

Wrapping the two around my back helps alleviate the weight a bit, but damn my back is going to hate me for this. "I bet I'll sleep twice as much tomorrow after today," I half-heartedly jest as I look around for anything more. Now where are some seeds?

The shelf behind me might give me some clues. Opening the shelf doors in fact provides me the very things I'm looking for. Two sacks of tomato seeds!

...Only two? I look through each shelf to see if there are anymore, but to my dismay... none. He could only leave behind two sacks of this stuff? Well, I suppose there are several seeds inside the sacks themselves, so maybe I'm over-rationalizing things-

I open one of the sacks, and there is but one seed inside. The fuck? Only ONE seed? How the hell am I suppose to prosper with TWO tomatoes? That fucker did it on purpose, and Takakura withheld that information on purpose as well. I should have known.

I let out a sigh as I close the doors. I can't let this get to me right now. Still much that can be done, I remind myself. A loud moo echoes into the tool-shed, startling me a bit. That's right, Betsy is inside the barn. That's right! I have a cow!

I burst open the door and grin at the old mother in front of me. I imagine my dairy supply smiling back at me before she returns to consuming her feed. I walk over to her side and pet her side, earning another moo.

"How are you doing today, Betsy?" Although I know she can't communicate back, I try to act humble towards her. After all, don't want her to get moody and not provide me the milk I deserve. I look towards the barn opening to the farrow fields, and come to a conclusion. She should be outside in that great weather.

"Why don't we go outside? It's much better out there than in here." I swat her gently on the rear, and she seems to understand my gesture. Without much hesitation, she turns around and heads towards the gate. I push it open enough for her to walk through, and close it behind us as she continues to walk through the burst of grass. I forgot just how tall the grass was after seeing it yesterday. With this amount available, I won't have to buy her supplies for years to come! Heh, I love this life already!

Seeing that Betsy has settled a bit farther into the field, I split off and focus on planting these pathetic seeds left to me by my father. Seriously, how pathetic. These must represent the amount of love he had towards me throughout all these years. I can only hope that the final product will be worth the effort.

Jumping the fence, I look to the left and right. Three fields to choose from. Which one? If I remember correctly from the notes my father left behind, the one farthest from the house provides the best yield for crops whereas the closest is poor in quality. So this must mean the one in the middle is... adequate. Shouldn't be a bad start; after all, I don't want to always walk the longest distance to simply water two plants.

I take out the plow and hammer away at the soil, hoping to tenderize the land. My arms are quickly tiring out with each swing, but my willpower is nothing to belittle. Each strike softens the designated spots that the tomato will be planted. I crotch down and feel against the dirt to ensure an excellent environment. My fingers easily penetrate the ground enough for roots to anchor into the ground; a technique my father jotted down in one of the crop books.

"I suppose this should be sufficient," I murmur after untying a sack and dropping the seed into the plot of exposed ground. I cover the seed with enough soil so that it is inches into the ground, and enough left over so I can tell where the seed is. I move over a feet or two and repeat the process for the next seed.

After the two seeds are properly taken care of, I reach behind my back and pull out the water can. "Now to make sure they have enough water. Grow, my pretties~."

I tilt the water can enough so water will spray out through the opening.

...

And no water sprays out of the can. What the hell? I look inside the can and realize a simple flaw. It is empty. Damn it, I forgot to fill it before I got over here! Dumbass! I jump up and rush over to the watering well, dunk the can deep inside to completely fill the can, and return back to finish the job.

A few seconds of slight water later, I determine that each seed has received enough water to last the remainder of the day. I'll probably need to come back around during the night to help loosen the soil for the roots to take hold.

Suddenly, I feel something rubbing against my leg as I lean back to take a breather. Sure enough, Sebastian has woken up and making his greetings. "Well good morning to you, fella!" I rub his forehead to which he barks happily. Sure is nice to have such joyful pets around. I regret not having such long ago during my struggles in the alleys, but hey. That's the past.

I jolt up and look around to see what else needs to be done. Plants? Done. Cow? Taken out. Milk?... Milk. Crap! I forgot to milk Betsy.

Jumping back over the fence, I calmly walk over to Betsy who is still grazing on the tall grass; I definitely don't want to alarm her during the milking process. "Hey hey Betsy. Mind if I get some milk from ya?" Again, I find myself talking to her despite the obvious obstacle of communication.

Bending over, I completely forget a simple fact: I've never done this before. I just yank on the utters to get the milk out, right? I prepare myself fully for any type of reaction she might have as I reach for the utters. I especially make sure to stand far away from her hind legs; I do not want to get kicked by her powerful legs.

I'm quite surprised by how easy this turned out to be. One simple squeeze and milk squirts out. Heh, simple as that! I pull out a few spare jars I had in my knapsack and continued the process... slowly, of course. Though the milking too almost an entire hour, I manage to fill up four entire jars.

"Damn Betsy, you're going to be my cash cow!" I laugh heartily at the irony and thoroughly pat her head to make sure she is fine with the event. Heck, if I didn't know better, I'm sure she enjoyed it.

"Now to turn these in for the profit," I remind myself in a joyous tone. I'll be raking in money in no time at this rate! I didn't mind tripping over the fence as I rush over to the storage room, not even the fact that I forgot to open the door as I ran into it. I'm way too happy right now to care.

Inside I take in the surroundings: several cases placed on tables, a few storage chambers meant for conserving materials, and most importantly, SO DAMN COLD. I quickly pull open a case's top to put the dairy products in. I'm merely thankful that the case actually said 'Dairy' so I didn't have to stay in there for long to find the right one.

I get out of there as quickly as I could. Why does Takakura need to have the temperature so low in there? Surely things don't spoil THAT quickly. Oh well, yet another annoying factor that is Takakura I suppose.

Looking up to the sky, I'm sure that it is still morning in this valley. I wonder how bright the sun can get around here especially with those large mountains blocking the east towards town. Although several clouds block the sun's path, I can tell that this place will really soak in the sun's warmth during midday. Which is a great thing for my plants.

"Hey, speaking of plants, I should go see Celia!" Yes, this should be the highlight of my day: meeting the potential mates-to-be in this valley while I'm settling in. Hehe, then at night I can go see Muffy~.

Walking past the farm's entrance, I notice how vivid nature really is in this peaceful valley. Grass growing and swaying everywhere, soft and patched paths marking the everyday travels of the inhabitants, the wonderful shade of blue in the sky above the horizon. This is so different in comparison to the town, I remind myself yet again for the day.

I don't notice that a stranger is about to pass me as I make my way to the wooden bridge separating my place from Vesta's. He is a much older fellow: a good amount of wrinkles around his facial expression to try rivaling Galen and a slouch of any elderly. The real problem with this fellow is his attire. A buttoned white shirt covering what appears to be his red/white stripped boxers? Along with a large reflector strapped to his head? What is this guy? Couldn't be a doctor, right? Maybe this is what they mean by a 'house call doctor.' Yeah, that's the only way to explain this disaster of an appearance.

"Err- hell- oh damn," I find myself halting my greetings upon a closer look at his face. One of his eyes is missing. Rather, it is replaced with something I'd imagine from a Sci-Fi flick. Metal surrounding a red light where his eye should have been. A long gash striking down his left eye... seems that tells the story of what happened to his eye. I don't think I should ask.

"Good morning young one, are you keeping yourself healthy?" He asks such an analytical question with a smirk, and swaying a black medical bag at his side. Quite frankly, I think he's proposing some type of physical with that gesture. I don't think so man, we just met.

"W-Well of course! How can you not out here in the grace of nature?" I jest with a laugh in attempts to avoid any further of his medical advances.

"I see, that is good to hear. One benefits from maintaining a healthy body. By the way, my name is Dr. Hardy. Feel free to call me up if you are ever in need of medical assistance." He bows slightly before continuing his way into the main portion of the town.

"..." I stand at the bridge without responding until we have enough distance between us so that he cannot hear. "How the heck am I suppose to 'call' that quack without a phone? Shouting at the mountain?"

I scratch the back of my head and try to ignore that unnecessary contradiction. I've got other stuff to do rather than wonder about that. Not to mention some ladies waiting for my calling~.

...

Oh damn it, I pulled that up again!

A few rejuvenating slaps across the cheek returns me to the correct mindset and continue my path to Vesta's farm. I'm rather glad this is not much a walking distance from my own place; I think I counted just about 50 steps from there to here-"

Suddenly, my train of thought stops. My attention is stolen by the beautiful scenery before me. A gorgeous patch of enchanted land with a lone tree beckons me to approach. Even with the little amount of sunlight dropping down, I can see the bright complexity of this spot.

I feel like I'm staring deeply into a portrait used with only the finest colors, hues, and shades. Like this is one of those places beset by a lovely poem. Like a designated atmosphere set for romantic ideals. So many yellow and white flowers embellish the base of the tree and the slants of the ground leading to it. Frankly, I can't keep myself from running over and laying along those flowers and wish myself a part of the view.

However, I can't.

...

...Well, I shouldn't. Yet here I am, spread openly among the lengthy grass and sniffing the sweet scents of the flowers. How delightful. Looking at the flowers reminds me of the girls I met yesterday and how sweet they were towards me, as if inviting me to shower them with presents. Presents. YES, I'll use these flowers as presents to them!

"I'm such a romantic," I compliment myself as I gather several of the flowers. I cannot convince myself to rob the land of all of its flowers... especially if it can continually provide many more later on. After collecting twenty types of the yellow and the white, I force myself back on the right path towards Vesta's.

Although my path would be shortened by crossing through the storage building and the main building, I find myself walking towards the main entrance as if entranced by yet another scene. This time, this row of powerful fans churning with the wind around me.

I'm simply in awe of nature, I suppose. Then again, I never had a chance to see such wonders long ago, so it seems I'm making up for it now. As with the other scene, many flowers bathe in the small sunlight raining down in this spot. And as with before, I find myself gathering them.

How much better can this day get? Seeing such amazing scenery, avoiding the human wreckage known as Takakura, getting to see and woo Celia and a few others, raindrops dowsing my head, a distinctive smell of rain striking my nose. What a wonderfu-

Wait. Rain? Did I say rain? I look up, and sure enough, those clouds looming in the distance long ago have caught up and is being to unleash its load onto the valley. Quickly, my clothes are beginning to get drenched.

"Damn it," I yell out as I quicken my pace towards the main building, "it sure WAS a wonderful day!"

I spin into the house with a complex open-close door movement that should only be reserved for movies (something I took from a movie I'd seen some time ago). Not as I expected, my impromptu entrance did not shock the inhabitants.

I took in the household before noticing Vesta waving to me while standing up from the table. In many ways, their house is like mine though fashioned differently. Two beds lined up along the left-side of the house, and a kitchen and a table for eating on the right-hand side. There also appears to be stairs leading up to the second floor where I guess more beds or essentials are.

"Whoa Eliya! Didn't expect to see ya this early in ta morning!" Vesta spoke out with her booming voice as she walks over to me and promptly hits- I mean, pats my back. "You really take after your father then!"

"Ouch! Y-Yeah, I suppose like father like... son," I didn't want to admit something like that, but I jest without thinking. "How are you guys doing today?"

Vesta gave a meaty laugh with a thumbs up, but Merlin, who is standing beside the farthest bed, merely shrugs before looking away. "Dooh, don't mind him! He's grouchy in the mornin!" Another hit- I mean, pat smacks against my back.

"I-I see. And Celia?"

"Oh, I see what brought you up here so early! Tryin ta flirt with the youngins?"

"Well, not exactly... but it doesn't hurt to see where my potential can get me right? Owph!" More strikes hit me with such ferocity as Vesta laughs. No mistake this time; these ARE hits.

"You'res a good man, Eliya! I respect dat! She's upstairs, go greet her!" I meagerly laugh to try not to hurt my lungs. Doesn't help though. I hastily make for the stairs before she decides to get more familiar on me.

I stumble a bit on the top stairs because of the lack of breath, and with that stumble I seem to have shocked Celia a bit. However, she quickly recovers into a gentle smile and a giggle upon seeing me. How cute.

"G-Good morning Celia! Ah, sorry about making such a sudden entry. I should have knocked or something..." I realize my stumble of words too late; she doesn't have a door to knock on!

"No, no need to worry about that, Eliya! Good morning to you too. What brings you around here so early in the morning?"

I swipe my hands across my clothes a bit to rid the damp feeling from the rain outside, and straighten myself up a bit. I need to impress her after all. No one likes a damp sailor... well, I think I got the point across on that.

"Ah, I just wanted to say good morning to you. N-Not like I had anything else planned for the rest of the day. That's not to say that I want to be a bother to you or act as a stalker or something. I MEAN-" Already I'm flustered with my intention and wording. God, I'm terrible at this.

Thankfully, she merely laughs and continues to smile. I think she got my point. "Well I'm glad you came by. I like seeing everyone hard at work. How is the farm going?"

"Very well actually, I planted many crops just a few hours ago and hope for a grand harvest!" Of course, I lie about the actual number of seeds I had at disposal. Nothing about two seeds is impressive.

"Then I took care of my dog and Ol' Betsy- that's the farm cow-, letting her out in the field so she... can... feed..." Speaking of her, I totally forget. She is still out there in the rain!

"Oh no, I forgot! Sorry Celia, I need to run off real quick! Betsy's getting all wet out there all alone!"

"...I DON'T MEAN LIKE THAT!" Oh man, why do I let those innuendos slip around her? I'm terrible.

"N-No, please go ahead Eliya! I'll see you later on today then!" She waves her hands in-front of herself with a cute tint of blush across her cheeks. SO. CUTE. She's going to make a great addition to any household one day.

Before I manage to get down four steps, I remember the important part: the flower! "Oh yeah! This! This is for you, Celia. I just happen to- you know, find it. Thought you might like it." My hands fumble to retrieve the flower, even worse upon presenting it to her. I almost fear that she would not accept such a thing during all of th-

"Oh Eliya! I love it! Thank you so much, I can't believe you'd do something like this for me." Celia cheerfully accepts the flower and holds it close to her bosom as she leans in and kisses me on the cheek.

...I will never wash this cheek again. Yay~.

"W-W-Well then, I-I'm uh- uh- heading out. Good night- I mean good morning! Though I just already- hehe," I quickly relieve myself from the conversation by jolting down the stairs before I manage to further ruin everything. Without a doubt, I really like her.

Before I could head out the door, Merlin catches me by the collar. The blush on my own cheeks must really give away what happened up there. Clearly, he didn't like it with that frown on his face.

"You's interested in buying some seeds?" Merlin abruptly asks with the clench of his fist. You know, seeds sound like a very good idea right now.

"Y-Yes, I sure would?"

"I'll give ya three sacks of tomatoes. 90G straight up. Agreed?"

I already had the amount in hand by the time he said 'agreed.' I don't need to be here anymore is what my mind is telling me. That, or maybe that's what his fist is suggesting.

"Thanks," Merlin spits out while letting go. I didn't even try to rebuttal; merely headed for the door before slipping a flower on the table for Vesta. I'm glad I got out of there before I heard her stand from the table in order to give me a bear hug.

The sprint to the farm is not very taxing on my body; probably because of my heart's flutter towards Celia's kindness, or the gallons of adrenaline pumping through my body from the situation with Merlin. Either way, I won't be relaxing anytime soon. I'm definitely going to need a drink with Muffy tonight.

My thoughts are thrown off along with my running course. I find myself stumbling to the ground before realizing that I ran into something. What, or is that a someone? Very hard to tell with so much damn fur covering the bulk. Or is that hair? Damn it, what is that?

"Sorry about that fellow, are you okay?"

"Moi?" Uh? I continue staring down at this thing that is staring back up at me. Did he just speak... French? Or is that some form of onomatopoeia? I reach down and brush aside a bit of hair to see a pair of eyes hidden underneath. This is human, and he is hairy as hell.

"Uh, yeah. Like I said, sorry for running into you. Are you hurt?"

"Food for me?"

"..." I realize... I don't even have food myself. Oh boy, what am I going to do for later tonight? Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm getting hungry now. All the more reason to get back home.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any on me. Maybe if you come up to my farm sometime I can treat you to some? Alright good yeah see ya later bye!" I don't give the guy any chance to respond. I have to get back home to Betsy.

That's right, I need to focus on getting Betsy back in the barn. I can handle drinking later on. I jump the fence, and see Betsy waiting at the gate to get back inside. "Sorry Betsy! Didn't know it was going to rain so suddenly!"

As soon as I drag open the gate, she waddles in to her kettle and continues eating away at the fodder available. I walk over and pat her on the head, then notice that the fodder amount is getting rather low. I need to get back out there and get some more.

I reach back and pull out the scythe. I find myself having to drag it outside and use both hands to swing it against the tall grass; damn, why did it have to be so heavy? I swear that I'm going to get very fatigued before I can have that drink later on.

By the time my muscles are screaming for me to stop, I gather enough fodder to feed Betsy for the rest of the night as well as enough backup for several days. I place back the scythe and drag the bundle of fodder back into the barn. I place a good amount into her feeder, and drag the rest to the opening to the silo for later use.

"Alright, that should take care of things around here." I sigh and walk back outside to the rain. I look over to the two tomato patches and notice how drenched the ground around them are. Heh, I suppose I didn't even need to water them before I left. Definitely should pay attention to that weather report from now on.

Despite the downpour of rain, I stroll out of the farm entrance. Somehow, this rain became relinquishing after I got all of that done. I feel my muscles and mind relaxing under its cool shower; the scent of the soothing air drowns the overhauled sensation that burdened me just moments ago.

"I think- I like the rain now." Long ago I'd complain so much about the rain. Drips and leaks in the crappy holes of the apartments, getting splashed by passing cars while on the streets, people yelling at me for having drenched attire everywhere I go because I could not afford to clean my clothes. This valley where no one seems to care about a simple deluge is such a necessary relief.

My thoughts slip further into comfort before I continue walking towards the main portion of town. Though, I'm caught off guard by yet another newcomer sitting under a makeshift tarp and settled with numerous items on an exotic rug.

...What a weirdo.

Upon seeing me- nonchalantly- ignoring him, he vigorously waves he down and yelling things I could not distinguish. What the heck is he doing? Do I go over there? No. No, ignore him. I have to continue ignoring hi-

"Young man, you are in quite the luck! My name is Van and I won't let you go until I make a sell!"

Oh. God. A business man. I'm doomed.

"...Well, I appreciate your... zealous, but I need to get goin-"

"NONONONONO~ young sir! This is the moment you cannot afford to lose!" His bulky arms pulls me into his grasp, and he quickly pulls me into his set up. I know I'm not getting out of here without a purchase.

"As you can see, I offer only the FINEST items known to man! Elixirs, liquors, sprites, the works for any strong man! And you, sir, are a strong man!"

"Well, I don't like to brag-"

"BUT YOU SHOULD sir! You wouldn't be one to life NOT to the fullest! Don't even joke about that!"

"...Fine fine, what else do you have?" I only get my drinks from Muffy, not some burlesque man.

"A fine eye sir! I bet you had your sight on these two right here. A fine-tone brush- you are a farmer aren't you? I know it- and this exquisite fishing rod! 'But this looks old' you say? Don't know you the older the better? This is made of only the FINEST materials from the Parmesian Coast - the gathering spot of ALL pro-fishermen! Let me tell you this is the only place where YOU WILL-"

"Please, just give me a price and I'll buy it. I don't need to be wasting anymore of my ti-"

"OF YOUR TIME? I see, you're a man of valor! Of duty! OF TIME! I like your spunk, young sir! For that, I'll let you have these for a once-in-a-lifetime price of 1000G! Remarkable you say! OF COURSE IT IS-"

Quickly, I take out the thousand gold- even faster than the time with Merlin- and shove it in his hand and gather the two items. Got to get out of here before he pressures me into buying something else!

"Excellent sir! Most excellent sir! I look forward to your next purchase! I'll be back here on the 3rd and the 8th of this season!" Like hell I'll see you anymore than once a lifetime!

Before I can sprint away towards the best safe place in this town (the mansion at the top of the hill), I spot Galen exiting from his house. Not good not good not good. Even from this distance I can see a concerning frown upon his face. Here I am, stuck between a stern rock and a godawful hard place. What do I do?

Simple, side-step! I run far to the left behind the Blue Bar where neither can see me. I wait a bit for Galen to get farther to his destination, somewhere in the direction of the wooden bridge I assume, and make a desperate escape for the mansion. No longer will I have to deal with the apparent hazards of this once-so-grand peaceful valley...

I feel an awesome relief wash over me upon crossing the front gate of Romana's mansion. I don't even care for the disgusting heavy lump of my heart. At least I'm far away from the crazy sector of the plaza... Ah, I see that Lumina is heading out. I wave at her as she passes by the water fountain towards my direction.

"Good evening Eliya, it's good to see you~." Oh yeah, it's already evening. Time sure does fly in this valley. If only the continual downpour of this rain would do so as well.

"Likewise to you Lumina. How is everyone at the mansion?"

"It is the usual routine. I believe grandmother is walking about with a bit of a tantrum." I sigh at the forewarning.

"I guess that happens with age," I off-handily comment as I rub my neck.

"It has something to do with her aching bones or something similar; she always remarks how her bones ache in the middle of a storm." Lumina coolly interjects with a bit of a smile. Without warning, she begins to stroll off with a hum.

"W-Wait Lumina, I actually have something you might like." I take out one of the white flowers and hand it to her. She lightly giggles as she gleams at me from a side-look.

"My my Eliya, don't you think I'm a bit young to be seducing me?"

...What.

"The heck? That's not what I intended by giving you that-"

"Silly Eliya, I was joking! Although," Lumina skips a bit while looking back at me as she traverses down the slope, "I'll definitely keep you in mind as a possible suitor~. See you around!"

...I cannot believe it. A young girl just thought I was hitting on her. Granted, I know that giving flowers is an understood gesture for liking someone, but surely that was not the case between new friends. This town really is filled with weird people.

I try to ignore that unnecessary development as I open the bold doors to the mansion. Minding my manners, I wipe my shoes before heading in; I know how these type of people can be about courtesy.

Thankfully, no one seems to be in sight. Well, aside for two kittens. Well, very loud kittens. The moment I walk in they are loudly presenting me with their attention and desire to be petted. I almost feel like hating cats as they nibble at my ankles as I try to walk farther into the parlor.

The grandeur of the parlor is insane, as I recall from the last visit. Everything is of the truest quality- like something out of a royal kingdom. Chandeliers, the large piano, ridiculously large staircases to several floors, portraits of divine lands and persons. Very grandeur.

I ignore my curiosity to see what might be up those stairs and head towards the right. The small hallway hidden below the staircase offers two doors: one to the left underneath the staircase and another straight ahead. I assume the one on the left is the master room (especially with the elegant doorknob design), so I avoid disturbing whomever might be inside. I'd imagine Romana is inside.

I choose to quietly open the latter door, and sneak a peek inside. I recognize the back of Sebastian, the butler, lingering over a bed. Somehow I feel like giving him quite a surprise; hell, I even wonder if he is capable of even flinching... not many butlers will do so. At least that's what I've read.

I quietly shut the door behind me without Sebastian noticing. This unnatural silence in the air as I wait for the perfect moment to strike. Oh man, this is going to be so damn nice! I can just see him jumping in the air and screaming like a little girl-

Hm? A photo sitting on the desk in front of me catches me by surprise. A very old photo, made in only black and white. I've seen many photos before during my lifetime, but nothing like this. The photo portraits a little girl smiling gleefully without motion to the cameraman. Dressed in what appears to be a Victorian era dress, I can't help but notice how cute is she.

Just... who is it?

All of a sudden, Sebastian turns around before I could pull my stunt. As I thought, he didn't flinch at all. Darn. "Oh my, I didn't hear you enter, Master Eliya. Good evening."

"Ah yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean to enter without permission. Say, this picture-"

"Oh no," Sebastian moans out with a strong sense of despair as he walks over and takes hold of the frame. "I guess I left the photograph out by accident. Please think nothing of it, Master Eliya."

Curiosity hits me strong now. There's something more to the picture than the age of it. Age. Ah, it just hit me.

"Ah, I see. That is Romana in that picture from long ago."

Sebastian merely nods as he looks at the photo. "Yes, very good observation, Master Eliya. It is indeed Miss Romana." He places the photo into the top shelf before looking out the window towards the left.

"It is Miss Romana taken at the same age Miss Lumina is now. That's why it was so much like her, you see."

...Uh, I didn't say anything about that.

"It was taken back when photos were still a rarity, so this is the only picture of her at that age. If she knew I had it... she'd laugh at me." Sebastian starts to shiver in place at the thought. I really did not expect this kind of reaction from this butler. He really does appreciate Romana to a great degree.

"I don't think she'd laugh at you, Sebastian. In fact, she'd probably really enjoy reminiscing about it."

"Master Eliya, you must promise me that you will not inform her that I have this. I beg of you."

Urgh, I cannot deny him if he acts like that. Going against it will leave a bad taste in my mouth, which should otherwise be graced with the great taste of alcohol. "Yeah yeah, I give you my word. I won't rat you out on the photo."

"You have my many thanks, Master Eliya! You are too kind." He wipes a sweat from his brow, and I scratch my head in annoyance. Thinking about it now, I could have blackmailed him with this information. How stupid of me.

"Urgh, well I'm going to get going. Suddenly I'm hating myself."

Sebastian bows deeply, "I bid you farewell, Master Eliya."

I quickly retreat out of the mansion and past the water fountain. Didn't occur to me that the rain finally stopped as I rub my forehead in frustration. Although I can tell from the approaching night that a quenching liquor has my name on it at the bar-

"Yo Eliya! Wazzup dawg?"

I'm stumped at this verbal abuse hitting my ears. I can't believe it, the last person I need to see today is right here in front of me: the young Rock with his urban dialect. I cannot understand this guy at all.

"Uh... Nothing much, G?"

"Hahaha, that's whack yo! Just call me Rock, my man! No need to low my swag, dawg."

...I need to get away from him. I have no fucking clue what he just said. "Yeah yeah yeah, uh... Sure bro, but hey- I'll see ya on the... down... Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow!"

I hasten my pace to get away from him; I can hear his laughter filling the air as though mocking my baffled nature. Can't be helped if I'm cornered by some mouthful of mumbo-jumbo, man...

Finally, the best moment of the night is here: Blue Bar bash. The beckoning light illuminating the edges of the door persuades me to enter albeit I had no objectives. Not to this.

Upon opening the door, I'm warm-fully greeted with cheers and smiles. A good amount of people are gathered in here: Griffin the owner, the lovely Miss Muffy, this new girl that I assume is Naomi (that one-sided red hair gives it away), and... goddamn it, Takakura. I give my greetings and head to an open seat at the bar.

Takakura happens to stand up and sit next to me, and I try to play it off like I didn't see him. "Eliya, you know what you should do? I'll tell you. You need to find a girl. Life isn't complete without someone to comfort you in the middle of the night, and-"

Oh my god, why does he have to offer me advice in this subject? If I recall correctly, he isn't even married. AT HIS AGE, he should be looking for the advice.

I try to offer a wave to Naomi sitting at the far-end side of the bar, but she intentionally shrugs it off with a swig of her beer. I see she is going to be the very anti-social person of this town. Actually, that's pretty comforting... In comparison to all the other oddballs around here. Takakura.

Then there's my Muffy~. Oh I love how she runs to me and wraps her arms around my arm and asks how my day was. I remember how I once joked to Van about how I didn't like to brag; I sure was joking to him. I could go on for hours about the hyperbole of my day to Muffy. Doesn't help that she's so adorable when she didn't understand the meaning behind a certain action. Well, all actions pretty much. Doesn't matter though because she's hot.

Griffin is probably the coolest person of all the bunch. He doesn't latch on to me about my troubles or my achievements; instead, he asks me what I'll have and gets it done lickety split. Maybe one day I'll return the favor for him and listen to his problems, but for now... I prefer this professional outcome.

Although I want to stay in that bar for the remainder of the night, I kind of have a desire to see more of the valley that I have yet to travel through. I gulp down the free offer of the Stone Oil (complementary of the house thanks to Muffy~) and head out to the main road. I cannot believe that the sun is still out and bright overhead. When is the night going to get here?

I walk behind the Inn and notice that one teepee settled at a rather convenient hill with yet another lone tree. This place has so many great individual scenes that I can't believe they are not yet ruined by the people. In fact, whoever lives here happens to do a fine job complementing it with his colorful 'estate.'

I hear the whimsical rhythm of a guitar as I approach the door latch of the hut. A musician, or just another record player like the one I inherited? I guess I'll find out. I lightly tap on the support beam, and get a rather dragged out response from inside.

"Come on in man, all's free in here~"

"...Uh, alright then." I slip through the latch and enter another realm. Literally, I entered another realm dominated by bizarre colors and vibrant schemes. What the hell is this place. In the middle is a man who should be about my age, yet has a long-ass red beard that only an old man could grow. He is a musician as I suspected as I observe him playing the guitar I heard.

"How you doing man? Guess you're that new cat I heard about."

"...Did you mean fellow? I'm not a cat."

"Word man, word. No need to be all formal on me, man. Chill for a moment." I hesitantly take his word and sit down on the floor. Everything in here is basic. No bed, nothing of metal. The only exquisite things are the musical instruments spread everywhere.

"So I suppose you are what they call a 'hippie."

"Suppose so, bro."

"...I see you're quite a musician."

"Yeah man, I'm like- totally motivated and stuff by the sound. It's like the main way of communicating with nature, man."

...

I think this is about enough time as I can afford to hang around with someone like this. I heard one's IQ can quickly drop if consistently exposed to the stuff he's obviously using. "Well, I thought I'd just drop by and say 'hello' to you since I'll be living here for quite a while."

I guess that really excited him. "Really, man? Living here? Far out, man! We can be- like- friends or something."

"...Uh yeah, sure. Anyways, I'll see you around then." I pull myself up and head out the door, but notice that one of the flowers manages to slip out of my knapsack. His eyes are glued to the flower. Oh boy, I don't think I like where this is going. I hope he isn't some nature freak-

"Whoa man, is this for me? You're really something, man. Really appreciate it!"

"Y-Yeah, no problem. Well then, see ya."

I close the latch behind me before he could say anything. He probably would have gotten up and hugged me if I stayed any longer. If I got any closer, I'd probably pass out from the odd smell that I finally caught on to...

Passing by the Inn yet again, I figure that I should at least greet the Innkeepers before heading back home. I push back the sheet flaps, which act as the front doors... I suppose, and am immediately greeted by what I feared. Tim the slobber.

"WELL IF IT ISN'T ELIYA! NICE TO SEE YA AGAIN. ARE YOU GOING TO BE STAYING WITH US FOR THE NIGHT?" His arm sweeps me to his side against his chubby appearance, but that's not the worst of it.

So. Much. Spit. On my damn face. WHY? I wipe away the excess amount by the time Ruby manages to pull Tim away.

"Hello again, I'm glad you dropped by."

"Of course; I thought I'd make sure I see everyone in town during my first full day here." I chuckle as I try to maintain some distance between me and Tim. I can tell he's trying to swing around me for yet another unwanted advance.

"Oh, allow me to give you two these as a gratitude for your hospitality towards me lately." I pull out two flowers from the knapsack and hand them to the couple. Ruby politely bows and offers thanks, but Tim goes for a... direct approach.

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ELIYA. BUT YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE FISH. IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET SOME, BE SURE TO SEND A COUPLE MY WAY."

More. Fucking. Spit.

"...I'll think about it. I'm sure you could fill up a tank for them to live in like that."

"OH YOU JEST! I REMEMBER THIS ONE TIME-"

"Actually, I better get going," I intentionally laugh along with him and excuse myself closer to the entrance. "I hope you have a great night, you two."

I can hear him coming towards me as I slip back and out of the Inn. I can only handle so much of Tim and his sprinkler system; I HAVE to make note of that.

Looking up, I see that the sun is lingering on whether or not to slip past the horizon. How frustrating; after all this time, it is only dusk and I'm tired as hell. I feel a rumble in my stomach as I walk past the storage room. I sure could use some milk...

No, don't think about that. I need profits! Especially after being hassled by that bastard Van. Down the hatch by 1000G... Oh, and that 90G for the seeds... I should plant though.

Nah, maybe tomorrow. I reach the door to my house before I hear yet another rumble in my stomach. What am I going to eat? I just happen to notice a particular plant growing beside the side of my door after the thought.

Isn't that... a mugwort? I remember learning at an early age that those are quite edible and can fill me up to quite an extent... Who did I learn that from though? Meh, don't care except for the rage of my stomach. I pluck a few instances of it and chew one in my mouth. To my surprise, it is rather... delicious. Hm, I'll keep this in mind from now on.

I open the door and I'm greeted by that wonderful sound from this morning. 'Breeze.' That record is still playing. Actually, I'm starting to remember even hearing it by the time I walk into the farm's entrance. That player sure does carry a good distance despite the closed door.

Yawn. Oh well, I suppose this is the end of the day for me. It aggravates me that the sun is still up before I get to sleep, but that's a thing of the past. I am free to work and sleep unbound from any schedule. I'm a free man on a farm.

"I love this place," I admit out loud as I fall down into bed and let my eyes rest.

The comforting darkness beneath my eyelids soothes my mind as I fall asleep. Something tells me I'll have a great day tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N:** I cannot believe how long it's been since I first wrote this. I hate life for prolonging me from updating this. To make worse: this is only the first (err, second) day! Got to hate full-time jobs. Hopefully I haven't lost a lot of you readers over the months, and I hope I'll be able to write up the next day quicker than this. In either case, I can't wait for the next entry to the franchise: A Tale of Two Towns. Granted I know it won't live up to the legacy of the first few, but... I do have hope. :[

Anyways, thanks for reading. I suppose I'll see you around.


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